To Remember
by Sharys Aogail
Summary: (Finished). Two old comrades meet once again, but one has no recollection of the other. As old enemies resurface, lost memories become the key to survival. A HieiYusuke story. Review please.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I'm back yet again, this time to redeem a wrong I was forced into creating. This fic came about after writing To Be Left Behind. This is a companion fic of sorts, although it could stand on it's own just fine. This is a reincarnation fic, in which two old companions meet, one of which has no recollection of the other. Prepare for fluff, new names, and the occasional angsty moment. A happy ending is guaranteed. For those who want to end a story in tears, go read To Be Left Behind. Shoo. Anyone see the self-advertising? Heh . . . Sharys

Disclaimer: Yusuke, Hiei, and any other Yu Yu Hakusho character who decides to make an appearance, does not belong to me. If they did, well . . . the world would be a scary place.

To Remember

By: Sharys Aogail

Chapter One:

I skidded around the corner, then scrambled to catch up to the girl further up the street, her long mahogany braid trailing behind her. Panting, I called out to her. "Oh, come on Ayame! Slow down will ya?"

She glared over her shoulder, the venomous look stating quite clearly that she had absolutely no intention of heeding the request. "If you had been ready when I _got_ there we wouldn't be in a rush, now would we?"

I sped up, matching her pace. Being that I was more of less still half asleep, I didn't much appreciate the lecture so early in the morning. "I don't think I ever asked you to pick me up every morning. It's not_ my_ fault you didn't leave without me!"

"So you're turning this into _my_ fault?"

Turning the thought over in my mind, I spared a glance upwards. "I wouldn't phrase it quite like _that_, but-"

The rest of my sentence was cut off, as my face suddenly became very aquatinted with Ayame's book bag. Ayame's very _large_ and _over-stuffed_ book bag.

As I sat there in a dazed stupor, Ayame herself loomed over me visibly fuming. "If _that's _the way you feel, Ketsui, you can go to school by _yourself_!" With that said, she whirled about on her heel and stormed off.

Once she was out of sight, I hoisted myself back on my feet, putting as much dignity into thew motion as I could. After dusting myself off, I rubbed my throbbing jaw with one hand. Me and my damn mouth. Admittedly it was a stupid thing to say, but did she always have to have such violent reactions? Childhood friendship or no, I was beginning to wonder if it was worth all the abuse.

Truth of the matter was that she was anxious. I hadn't been myself lately and every time she tried to pry into the matter I would change the subject or brush it off completely. Things had been odd lately. I dreamed, for one thing. Its not something to get in a twist over, I know, but every time I woke up the images slipped from my mind, keeping me from remembering them completely. This was usually par for the course, but something kept nagging at me, telling me that they were important somehow. But no matter what I did, I couldn't remember them.

Then there was the feeling of being followed. It had only happened once, and that had been well over a week ago, but it was more than enough to set me on edge. I tried to hide it of course, but Ayame noticed the difference, so did my parents for that matter.

A stifled sound brought my attention back to my surroundings. A small crowd had gathered across the street, with a pair of women giggling behind their hands. I scowled at them, my fingers threatening to curl into fists. Seeing that the show was over, the crowd began to disperse. The fact that I was glaring at all of them hastened their departure.

As the group thinned, I noticed that someone had decided to remain, his stance firm, and hands stuffed somewhat defiantly into sweatshirt pockets. I gave him a brief glance before turning away. Kids with staring problems weren't worth the effort. And so I continued on my way, heading off in the same direction that my wayward friend had disappeared to.

Being that I simply walked the rest of the way to school, I arrived on campus forty-five minutes late. Completely bypassing the office, I decided to head strait to class. (Who _actually_ _got_ late passes these days, really?) I'm sure that my math teacher would just _love_ to see me arrive in time for the last ten minutes of class. It wasn't like I actually needed his advice to pass the upcoming test.

I grinned, imagining that bastard's expression. You would think that after seven whole months of dealing with me that he would understand that his idea of intimidation had absolutely no effect on me. He thought that because I was often stingy on the homework I didn't understand the material. Truth was, I just felt too lazy to do a proper job when there were a million other things I would rather be doing. Ah, well. More fun for me I guess.

Just as I was about to turn down my corridor, I caught the sound of a metallic clang. It wasn't too hard to find the source of the disturbance further down the hall. My blue eyes narrowed in agitation. Damn bullies picking on pipsqueaks again.

I gave another, more gleeful grin.

Nothing like a good workout to work out built up tension.

oOoOo

"I don't know what we're going to do with you, Ryoku! You just waltz in here over a half an hour late and _then_ you instigate a bar brawl on your way to class! What the _hell_ were you thinking in that thick head of yours?"

I sat sprawled across the harsh wooden chair, my elbows dangling over the arms of the chair, my feet crossed at the ankle and propped up on the principal's fake wood-grain desk. It never failed to amaze me how cheap this school was, honestly. Besides, I had visited this particular office enough times to develop a certain loathing for the furniture. So did I care if my scruffy old boots scratched the damn desk? Not in the least.

Besides, it wasn't like they were going to get rid of me anytime soon, while my overall grades were poor, my test scores were outstanding. With a school this small, they were hesitant to make themselves look worse.

The principal was a fat, middle-aged man with beady little eyes and a balding scalp. He had been going around in circles with his little lecture for nearly ten minutes now, and quite frankly, I was getting sick of it.

As mister "authority figure" screamed at me, I tilted my head back to stare impatiently at the ceiling. "Oh, calm down old man, before you give yourself a heart attack." I paused and then scratched my chin absently. "Besides . . . its not like they didn't _deserve_ it."

"That's beside the point!"

I snorted, crossed my arms over my chest, and glared defiantly. "So you just expect me to stand there while some poor kid gets beat to a bloody pulp? Great justice system you have there. Remind me never to go to you for legal advice."

"That 'poor kid' is the only reason you're not going to be expelled!" I blinked in surprise, and waited for the man to continue. "But you _will _be suspended for the rest of the week, and when you return on Monday you _will_ be having detention with me every day for the next two weeks. And if in that time you get into just _one fight_, I will make it my personal mission to expel you! _Are we clear?_"

I slouched further in my chair and gave a mock salute. "Crystal, sir."

"Good. Now get your sorry ass off campus before I change my mind."

Rising from my seat, I exited his office, the heavy wooden door slamming shut behind me. I whirled about to glare daggers at the shiny brass nameplate fastened to the door itself. Narrowing my eyes, I pointed at the letters accusingly, my hand shaped lile a pistol.

I grinned, and gave a soft, "bang!"

_A solid beam of blue-white light shot down the hall, blasting a well-dressed man from behind, rendering him completely unconscious. I blinked down at my finger. "Hey, it worked!"_

_A monster charged at an impossible speed, rushing in for an attack. Even as it moved I took careful aim with empty hands and pointed._

_"SPIRIT GUN!"_

I leapt back, staring in shock at my trembling hand. Breathing hard, I glanced up at the door only to find it whole and still intact.

My mind raced even as my heart calmed, trying to find an explanation.

"What _the hell was that?_" I asked, vaguely aware that no one was there to answer. Realizing how it would look if someone saw me talking to myself and jumping at shadows, I brushed it off for now and left.

oOoOo

There was a nice park about a half a mile from my apartment complex where I often went to relax. It was fairly large, I suppose, with a nice play area at the center of a football-sized field, where kids could be seen tumbling about or playing soccer. A nice line of trees that went at least four trees deep flanked the field itself.

I went there now, finding my usual secluded bench and plopped down gratefully.

I just _knew_ Ayame was going to be royally pissed when she found out what had happened. She would probably let me have it about how I was screwing up my future, and that I should care more about my academics. Of course this would be coming from Miss School-Spirit herself, and so she would _never _even _consider_ the possibility that someone might not give a damn about school. Well . . . not like _her _anyway.

I entertained the thought of skipping my detentions just to hear her screech. Or maybe just ditch all together.

With that in mind, I reached inside my jacket pocket, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, extracting one with practiced ease. That done, I patted down my breast pocket for my zippo and lit the end of the little white stick. I inhaled gratefully, waiting for the nicotine to kick in.

"Old habits die hard it seems."

Expelling a cloud of smoke, I turned my head to look at the speaker. He stood, leaning one shoulder against a nearby tree, his arms folded casually across his chest. He looked to be about my age, or nearly, with oddly tousled black hair that half-hid blazingly red eyes. Contacts, I figured, and damn good ones at that. He wore loose black pants of an unknown fabric, and a blood-red sweatshirt with twin black dragons twisting up the front. The loose clothing did nothing to enhance his age, the loose clothing making him look small and frail.

His image suddenly flickered, replaced by a shorter, paler figure, with heavily spiked hair. In the blink of an eye it was gone, the original image firmly back in place.

I squinted my eyes a bit at the newcomer, and pointed at him with the end of my cigarette. "Do I know you from somewhere?" I asked.

The teen gave a one-shoulder shrug, his eyes never leaving mine. "I don't think so," he replied, his voice a little deeper than expected, and oddly neutral. "Do I look familiar?"

_No,_ my mind supplied instantly, but a bizarre sense of familiarity lingered, making me doubt myself. "I'm not sure."

With a sigh, the teen's eyes closed as he gave a single acknowledging nod. A faint smile flickered across his face, but it could have just been the lighting. He pushed off the tree he had been resting against and began to leave. However, after no more than two steps he paused, turning his head just enough to see me out of the corner of hi eye. "Well, until you are sure, good day Detective."

My head jerked back as, in the blink of an eye, he disappeared. Just . . . gone. Poof! Gone into thin air. My eyes darted about, frantically searching for some sort of trick or prankster.

Finding none, I rose from my bench and tossed my cig into the dirt, absently snuffing out the ember with my heel. I glared accusingly at the nearby trees as if they were withholding the truth from me. Agitated, I stuffed my hands deep into my pockets.

Recalling everything that had happened recently, I could only think of one thing.

_What the hell?_

Author's Note: Revamped a bit to fit with later parts and full with corrections. Here ya are people. More is coming soon for the rough draft is complete! Please remember to review. How else can a writer improve her work? Sharys


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer : The original versions of the characters are not mine, though I admit to tampering when it comes to their reincarnations.

To Remember 

By : Sharys Aogail

Chapter Two :

_I glared dejectedly at the old woman's back as she walked away, her harsh words sharp and echoing in my mind. I was at a loss to answer my own question, and I was frustrated because of it._

_What was important to me? What did I have that was worth fighting for?_

_Muscles strained, throbbing under what felt like the weight of the world. My arms had long-since gone numb from the crushing force of the ceiling. He stood a few feet away, eyes wide in disbelief at the words that hung between us._

I trust you.

_A hand struggles to remain pressed against a pale cheek. "I just . . ."_

_I hate people like you_.

_"I didn't want . . ."_

_Indifferent red eyes gave an unreadable stare before their owner simply vanished, gone into thin air. I cursed myself at another blunder and yet another missed chance. Just . . . gone. Again._

I trust you.

_Do I even have anything worth fighting for?_

_"Don't leave me . . ."_

I gasped, eyes snapping open in confusion. My dreams spun in my head like a demented merry-go-round. Words, faces, images, everything whirled about in my mind wildly, making it hard to focus on what was real.

Closing my eyes, I breathed in deeply, quickly sorting out the truth. Once everything calmed down, the only things that remained were a few vague images, several lingering emotions, and a disturbing sense of loss.

Groaning, I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my palm. "Dammit!" I hissed, more than a little frustrated. It wouldn't be so bad if the images remained solid, but no! They all had to slip away like water down the drain.

Deciding that I wasn't going to go back to sleep anytime soon, I rolled out of bed and got dressed. It was a little past ten, so my parents had already left for work, mom to her clothing store and dad to catch a business flight. The house was mine until mid afternoon.

After a late breakfast I left the house, deciding to go for a long walk. I figured that I should enjoy my last days of freedom. Tomorrow was Monday, meaning the beginning of my detentions.

I had been right. The day I got suspended Ayame had called me the instant she got home, verbally wailing on me. After her thirty-minute tirade, she had finally agreed to leave me alone on the condition that I would attend every assigned attention. Whether I would uphold the agreement or not I had yet to decide, but at least it kept her off my back for a while.

Our truces never lasted too long anyway, so it wasn't like it would be a big deal.

Just as I was passing the park I froze, feeling the eerie sensation of being watched. I swallowed. This would be the third day in a row now, and with this piled onto the dreams I had been having I was swiftly approaching the point of paranoia. I glanced around nervously, my hands tightly clenched into fists. _Where are you? _I thought.

I jerked at a sudden movement to my right, blinking at familiar red eyes and tousled hair.

The other teen smiled. Or smirked rather, it was hard to tell which. "Jumpy?"

"Are you stalking me or something?" I snapped.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, causing his image to flicker again, but it disappeared when he bounced his weight from one foot to the other, a grin threatening to show through. "Scared Detective?" he asked.

I growled. The "detective" thing was getting old real quick. "Stop calling me that! My name is Ketsui, you got that? _Ketsui!_" When he gave me no response, I snorted and began to storm off.

"Yusuke, wait."

_"Yusuke . . . "_

_"Yusuke, I -" Red eyes flashed, the rest of the sentence dying before it was completed._

I froze, slowly turning around to face him.

His eyes darkened at my confused expression, as if confirming something he didn't approve of. I faintly realized he was looking for a reaction to the name. "Ketsui," he corrected himself belatedly. His voice suddenly became deadly serious and strangely old. "Word spreads fast these days. Old enemies still bear grudges against the dead, and rumors are spreading like wildfire. In dark corners the name Urameshi is being passed around. I want you to be careful. You can't protect yourself with the way you are now."

"Just who the hell are you, anyway?" I demanded.

Fiery red eyes warmed a bit, loosing their harsh edge. "My name is Kurai. You're running out of time Detective."

Then, just like last time, he vanished.

oOoOo

I took Kurai's warning to heart. The following week I made it a point to make as few detours as possible, and was constantly on the lookout for any unwanted tails. There were a few times where I could have sworn I saw Kurai, but those sightings didn't worry me much. I figured if the guy wanted to do any serious harm, he would have done it by now.

My dreams had persisted, and now memories of them were finally carrying over into my waking hours. Instead of easing my tension like I hoped it would, the recollections only made it worse. They were heavily fractured, but what I did remember ate at me constantly and refused to be ignored.

All told I was tired and stressed, and paranoid from constantly having to look over my shoulder for unknown dangers.

So when Ayame invited me to one of her group dinner-and-a-movie outings I accepted, hoping it would take some of the edge off my frayed nerves. It was a welcome break to say the least. There were several other people there from school. They were nice enough, so it was easy to just mingle and go along with the others without worrying too much.

The group broke up later that night in high spirits. The night was made all the more enjoyable by the fact that the little truce Ayame and I had come to was still standing strong. It was nice knowing you were not going to wake up with fresh bruises in the morning. I walked Ayame home, both of us laughing at something stupid that happened during dinner.

I had finally unwound, and of course that was when it happened.

I felt eyes on me once again, but the feeling was malevolent and sinister than it had been in the past. As we reached Ayame's street corner, I grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to a halt. "Wait a minute Ayame," I said.

She turned to me curiously, frowning when she saw my face. "Ketsui? What is it?"

My eyes suddenly flew wide and on impulse I tackled Ayame. "Get down!"

She screamed as something bright and burning flew overhead, and I gritted my teeth as it singed my exposed shoulder.

There was a gurgling hiss somewhere behind us. "What's this? Too much of a coward to stand and fight?"

"Ketsui . . ." Ayame whimpered. She was looking past my shoulder and whatever she saw left her trembling like a leaf. She even went so far as to crawl away from me, scrambling back on her hands.

Ignoring my instincts to flee, I shoved myself to my feet and turned to face our attacker.

I could've sworn my heart stopped beating.

The . . . the _thing_ stood on obscenely twisted limbs, claws extended and teeth bared in what was possibly a grin. My mind was barely absorbing what it was seeing, only acknowledging one detail at a time. Black, gravelly skin. Glowing yellow eyes, sunken into an elongated skull. Wicked, serrated claws. It was one horrible aspect after another.

Suddenly, anger flared within me, igniting as my mind replayed the monster's words. A _coward?_ _Who does it think it is judging _me_? I'll show him a coward!_

Ayame screamed my name as I lunged at the creature, lashing out with my fists. It's yellow eyes grew impossibly large a split second before I connected with it's face.

There was a sickening crack when it hit the pavement, and didn't make and move to rise.

_What the hell has gotten into me? _I asked myself in horror even as I shook my throbbing hand, scowling. "So that was it?" I mumbled to myself. "For such an ugly brute he sure didn't put up much of a fight."

"He was a weakling anyway, so its no real surprise that he was beaten by a simple human."

I whirled around to confront the newcomer. Expecting another monster, I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Except for the odd clothing this guy looked . . . well, normal. He was tall with tanned skin and dark eyes and hair. It wasn't until he took a step towards me that I noticed the long smooth-scaled tail.

Opening my mouth to say something rather stupid I fell silent at the sight of an unconscious Ayame laying on the sidewalk behind him. My jaw clenched. "What do you people _want_?"

"Whatwe want?" he repeated. He chuckled. "Why Detective I would think it was obvious. We want you dead."

_"You do realize you're going to die, right Detective?"_

I growled. "What is it with you people calling me detective?"

In the blink of an eye I was thrown to the ground, pain exploding in my chest. I gasped only to find that I couldn't breathe. His tail was like a noose around my throat as he stood above me in obvious distaste. "What's wrong Urameshi? Reborn without the ability to fight?"

_A tall orange-haired teen in a school uniform struggled tooth and nail against two boys who were obviously holding him back. "Dammit Urameshi, you think this makes us square!? I'm the one who's supposed to put you down for good, you hear me!? Now get out of that coffin and fight like a man!"_

"_Hey Urameshi, look what I got! Jealous?"_

"_Urameshi!"_

There was a sudden scream, and I gasped as much needed air flowed into my lungs. Now free to move I rolled over onto my side, coughing. I slowly rose to my hands and knees, well aware of my poor spinning head. My eyes focused on a new, shorter figure standing before me protectively, a bloodied katana in hand.

_Kurai,_ I realized.

My attacker stood a ways beyond him. He snarled viciously at Kurai as he clutched his bleeding tail to his chest.

Even while the monster looked mad, Kurai was furious, his anger rolling off him in waves. "I've warned you and your friends before," he said coldly. "Why didn't you listen?"

The other spat. "We don't take orders from scrawny half-breeds! Go crawl back to your filthy human mother!"

It was over so fast, at first I didn't realize what had happened.

I blinked at Kurai who was calmly wiping his blade clean with a spare cloth, then my eyes drifted to the corpse at his feet riddled with slashes and stab wounds.

"Kurai, did you just . . ." I trailed off, gesturing at the mess.

He shrugged, as if slaughtering monsters was no big deal. "The bastard didn't know who he was messing with," he said simply. "I've warned him before about talking about my family, but apparently he forgot."

With that he sheathed his katana and moved over to a very limp Ayame. His hands ran over her, obviously checking for injuries while I stood over his shoulder curiously. Finding nothing he shook his head, muttering, "The silly girl fainted."

I snorted. _Typical. _

With a sigh, he leaned back on his heels, removing leather gloves I hadn't noticed, and quickly placed his fingertips against Ayame's temple. When his hand began to glow a deep violet, I grabbed his wrist abruptly, breaking the contact. Red eyes narrowed, pinning me with a glare.

"What do you think you're doing!?" I growled. Sure, Ayame could be a bitch sometimes, but there was no way in hell I was going to let some psycho harm her. Even if it was some psycho who could chop me into itty bitty pieces.

"Well I _was _going to erase her memory of this little incedent, or would you rather she remember?"

I thought for a moment, the two of us staring each other down. "Will it hurt her?" I asked finally.

His gaze softened a bit as he shook his head. "No." He gave a sudden smirk. "Though, she may have a headache since you interrupted the connection."

"Fine," I conceded. "But just be careful, alright? The last thing I need is for her to have yet another reason to beat on me."

Author's Note: Aaah part two is done. (collapses at the computer). I'm so DAMN _TIRED!!!!_ I'm going to sleep in tomorrow . . . School? What is this "school" you speak of? One more chapter to go folks then it's done. Yep, _done_. Sounds odd coming from me doesn't it? Want more? Make suggestions. I'm debating if I want to write more with Ketsui and Kurai. I'm rather proud of them.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note : Artwork for this fic should be posted soon at another site. I'll post the site on my bio once I get around to scanning it in. (Aren't Boyfriends wonderful?) Disclaimer : Yu Yu Hakusho (along with Yusuke, Hiei, and all the other's worthy of note) do not belong to me. I am but a humble young woman trying to make her way in the vicious world of fanfiction writers.   
To Remember By : Sharys Aogail Chapter 3 : 

We dropped Ayame off at her house as soon as she woke up. She was a bit disoriented, but thankfully she didn't ask too many questions, and seemed strangely ignorant to Kurai's presence. When I asked him about it he didn't answer. When I realized I was getting nowhere, I then asked about the bodies we had left behind. He told me not to worry about it, and forced me to drop the subject completely.

He stayed by my side long after we dropped Ayame off, the two of us walking in complete silence. We walked aimlessly, without an actual destination in mind, giving me more than enough time to stew over this evening's events. It was hard to forget the violence Kurai had shown, and the wicked katana that was hidden in the folds of his jacket. Thinking about it made me glance his way.

Just like before, his image was flickering again, but this time the transitions were longer, allowing me to study the overlaid image a bit more closely. The eyes were a more intense shade of red (if that was even possible), and he carried himself with pride and a hint of contempt. Kurai was a bit more quiet in his manner, still very confident but not to the point where it would draw attention to himself.

I debated with myself for a moment, dying to ask the question that had been on my mind for over two weeks now. Finally, I couldn't resist any longer and stopped, vaguely aware that we once again found ourselves at the park, my usual bench not twenty feet away.

"What's happening to me?" I asked him. Kurai turned to look at me, his eyes seeming to glow in the dim lighting. The effect was eerie. Swallowing hard I continued, trying to figure out what words to use. "I keep seeing things, and they have only gotten worse since you showed up. Someone will do something, or say something, and then . . ." I gestured uselessly with my hand. "Then suddenly they just come. The dreams are no better. I can't control them and they won't stop. What the hell is happening to me?"

Something flashed over Kurai's face.

Anticipating his escape, I grabbed the sleeve of his jacket before he could disappear again.

"Don't you _dare_ leave me now!" I warned, temporarily forgetting the fact that the other teen was armed. I growled when he looked away. "I think you know _exactly_ what's happening to me, so _spill it_!"

"You wouldn't understand."

I grabbed his other shoulder as well, trying to force him to meet my gaze. "Then _explain_ it to me! Make me understand! Don't you think I have a right to know when my whole life has been turned upside down because of it? How is that fair?"

In retaliation he grabbed by the front of my shirt, breaking my hold easily when he shoved me away from him. I stumbled a bit, but managed to keep my feet.

"Don't preach to me about what's _fair_!" he snapped, looking torn. "Of course you have the right to know, but don't you get it? I can't tell you! I can't explain _anything _important until you remember for _yourself_! If I do then I-" He broke off abruptly, looking away. When he raised his gaze once more he was wearing a look of grim determination. "I'm not leaving. Not yet."

Both of us turned to the unexpected sound of clapping, and a lone figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a woman this time, with softly pointed ears, and long, and elaborately braided hair tumbling past her shoulders. She was dressed up in loose pants and a long pearl white tunic so bright it was amazing we didn't see her coming in the gloom. It took me a while to finally notice the twin daggers that were tucked into her pale silver sash.

Quite frankly, she was stunning.

She smiled charmingly when Kurai once again took a defensive stance before me, one hand hovering over the hilt of his katana. "How touching. I'm surprised you haven't killed that heart of yours yet, Kurai."

"What do you want Syrel?" Kurai asked, fingers twitching closer to his sword.

She sighed, sliding the slender daggers from their sheaths. "Come now, Kurai. Why all the hostility?" A predatory smile slid into place. "I'm only here for the human after all. Now be a good little mutt and move out of the way."

In a flash, Kurai had his sword drawn and raised in a defensive position. "You'll have to go through me first."

"_He's not yours to take!"_

_Not now,_ I groaned inwardly, trying desperately to hold it back. Now was _not_ the time for one of my little episodes.

"Pity," Syrel murmured. She stood straighter and spread her arms invitingly. "Well, whenever you're ready. Or would you like to take a nap first?"

Kurai snarled and lunged, disappearing in a flash of movement. A wind-chime laugh could be heard as she parried easily, goading him further.

As I watched from the sidelines, I took an involuntary step back, my mind bombarding me with images. Every move they made, every dodge, every parry, every slash and surge of power triggered wave after wave of visions. They were fractions at first, flashing in my mind like some demented strobe light.

When Syrel broke through Kurai's defenses and stabbed him I lost any control I had, the visions engulfing me completely.

_The flames of the black dragon flickered and died, leaving it's small master staggering in it's wake. His eyes focused on me, the irises dull from pain and exhaustion._

He did it, _my mind cheered, but sadly the celebration was cut short. _

_There was a low rumble, a cloud of dust rising up as debris began to shift, our enemy rising from the rubble. The thing scowled. "Is that all? You disappoint me."_

"_You idiot, do you want to get yourself killed?"_

"_Wait, Yusuke!"_

_My fury became tangible as I glared at our opponent, my eyes narrowing while I took aim._

"SPIRIT GUN!"

With a start I felt the energy surge through my body, congeal briefly at my fingertip, and then fire a blazing blue-white beam all within the fraction of a second. From where I stood I saw Kurai's eyes widen in shock as Syrel was all but incinerated.

Breathing heavily, he clutched his wound while he stared blankly at the charred remains. After a small eternity he raised those blood red eyes to me in silent question.

I shook my head slowly, my own gaze falling to my trembling hands. I tried to swallow the lump that had formed in my throat. "I, I didn't- I mean that wasn't . . ." I trailed off, my hands coming up to pull at my dark brown hair. I utterly confused and at a total loss. "How could I?"

Kurai walked up to me, battered and bruised, but for the most part still intact. "You protected me. You . . ." His face suddenly hardened, all injuries momentarily forgotten. "You _idiot_! What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten killed with that little stunt of yours! If you had missed you would have left yourself wide open to a counterattack, you moron!"

_He snarled, sharp nails digging back in my shoulder with a vengeance. I winced. "Idiot! That blow wasn't meant for you!"_

"Oh god," I gasped. _Not again, please not again . . ._

I doubled over. A shocked Kurai reached for me as I fell, while the visions took over one final time.

oOoOo

_We had underestimated our target._

_Koenma had told us it was a simple search-and-destroy mission against a mildly ranked demon. The two of us alone were supposed to be more than enough firepower to take the bastard out. "It's going to be a piece of cake," the young lord had told us._

_If he were here I would be strangling the bastard right about now. _

_We had found ourselves matched, and as the fight continued we started to realize that even our combined strength wouldn't be enough. We tried again and again to gain the advantage . . . well that wasn't exactly doing us much good._

_Both of us were badly wounded, but it was clear that I was in better shape than my partner. Several of his wounds ran deep and refused to stop bleeding. He was weakening too fast, and we both knew what it meant, the truth lying unspoken between us. _

_We were getting desperate. _

_I don't know what gave him away, but somehow I knew what he was going to do. He moved to charge in for a final frontal assault, hoping to distract him long enough to give me the opening I needed. He was going to forfeit his own life. _

_Like every other stupid thing I ever did, I acted on impulse._

_I anticipated him. I don't know where hell my speed came from, but I do know that I got there first, taking the final blast at point blank._

_The rest was nothing but screams and darkness._

oOoOo

_His eyes were burning with that all too familiar fire, his pain barely masked by anger. Blood coated everything, his clothes, his hair . . . whether it was all his or partly my own I didn't know. I couldn't remember. Not like it would have mattered anyway._

_I smiled faintly even as he glared. "Glad to see you too," I rasped._

_He snarled, his nails digging back in with a vengeance. I winced. "Idiot! That blow wasn't meant for you! You weren't supposed to interfere!"_

_I knew that I wasn't, and that he wanted me to stay out of it, but that blast . . . it would have killed him in an instant. I just couldn't just stand by and watch that happen. I knew full well what the consequences were, and how angry he would be. But . . . I wanted . . ._

"_Are you listening to me!" He shook me hard, his anger quickly turning into frustration. His voice was slightly choked, as if he was holding back tears. "Your actions were pointless! My wounds were fatal, don't you get it? I was dead from the start."_

"_I know."_

_He jerked back like a startled animal, but recovered quickly. Blood red eyes asked the question his own pride kept him from voicing. Pride . . . and fear._

_Summoning what strength I had left, I gently touched the side of his face, my bloodied fingers leaving a stain in their wake. My body shook with the effort it took to keep my hand in place, eyes stinging with a sudden wave of tears. "I just . . . I didn't want to be left behind."_

_His gaze flickered. He knew what I meant, even without the proper words. In truth, I don't think they were necessary. _

You won't be left behind. We'll go together.

Together.

oOoOo

Kurai slowly came into view, the details of his face were soft seeing as my vision was a bit fuzzy. He was leaning over me, saying something to me, but I couldn't make anything out. I smiled inwardly when I realized his past image no longer overlapped with the present, leaving me with a completely unhindered view.

"Ketsui?"

I blinked. That's right, I'm Ketsui. Not Yusuke, or Detective. That's not who I was any more. Ketsui.

And he was-

I suddenly bolted upright and scrambled to my feet, my spinning head screaming in protest. I touched my forehead dazedly, newly acquired memories swirled about in my mind, nearly to the point of overload. I took a few steps back as Kurai rose as well, determined to keep at least some distance between us.

Half of me screamed to reach out and touch him, to ask if it really was him, the other half was terrified that the answer would be yes.

"Hiei . . ." it was barely a breath on my lips.

His eyes widened in shock and realization, and that's all it took.

I ran.

Author's Note : So I lied. Four chapters is going to be the final total to this fic and if I somehow come up with a fifth I am going to murder my muses. Slowly and PAINFULLY! Actually I'm having a lot of fun with this story, but would like to put in a few corrections before I polish up the last chapter. For plot reasons, Ayame is NOT Keiko. Just a girl with similar tendencies. Please remember to review people. How else am I supposed to know if these things are actually enjoyed by someone other than myself? Special thanks to HBB88 for the extremely prompt reviews. LATER! Sharys


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note : Sorry about the wait. This part was harder to iron out than I thought, and I was swamped with work from multiple directions. Thanks goes to my few wonderful reviewers (especially HBB88), and I hope you enjoyed this story, as short as it was. I have ideas roaming around for a one-shot based on this, centering on Kurai. If no one wants it, I won't do it.

To HBB88 : Thanks for reading and giving me your input. Although, it won't be up for a few months, I do have another Hiei/Yusuke story in the works. It's a lot longer than this, is an AU and the plot is already nearing completion, so the writing shall commence soon.

GOODBYE PEOPLE! Sharys

Disclaimer : DON'T OWN!

To Remember By : Sharys Aogail 

Chapter 4 :

I sat on my bedroom floor, wedged between the space between my bed and my dresser. When I was little I would curl up there for hours when I was upset. Now here I was, over seventeen and still doing the same thing. I had my chin resting on one knee, my arms tightly wrapped around my leg, the other tucked securely beneath me.

Old habits die hard, as Kurai had once said.

I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to think of him, or Hiei. Not tonight or any other night. But no matter what I did, the memories wouldn't leave me alone, forcing me to confront them.

He had wanted me to live, willing to sacrifice himself for that single purpose, and I was more than willing to do the same.

It didn't take me long to figure the "why". Yusuke had cared deeply for Hiei. They never spoke of it, but in retrospect it was kind of obvious in the end that it was mutual. Look what their silence brought them.

I wasn't Yusuke anymore, just like Kurai could never truly be Hiei. So what would I do now? It was obvious from his little display that night that Kurai was protective towards me, showing that even in this new life, he still felt the same. But what about me? Did I care for Kurai the same way that Yusuke cared for Hiei?

I could try to forget everything that had happened. I could pretend to be normal again and ask Ayame out on that date she's been hinting for (despite her abusive nature), and act like nothing had happened.

I dismissed that thought quickly. It wouldn't be fair. Kurai deserved better.

And so did I.

There was a quiet tapping at my window. Since it was three stories up, there was little doubt who it was but I looked up anyway. Somehow keeping his balance on the outside ledge, I watched as Kurai quietly forced open the window. He settled cross-legged on the windowsill, his hands folded quietly in his lap.

Silence reined.

"So . . ." he began softly. "You know."

I gave a short bitter laugh. "What? That I more or less committed suicide to follow you in death? Then, yeah. I remember." As it all came down, I pressed the heel of my hands into my eyes. "Oh god . . . I was so _stupid._ Yusuke, I mean. Their deaths almost seem pointless."

"Pointless?" Kurai honestly sounded surprised. "Is that what you really think?"

When I gave him no answer, he sighed. Yet another period of silence fell over us, but every so often Kurai would open his mouth as if to speak, then close his mouth as he turned his head away. It was obvious he was debating with himself. When he finally _did _speak, his voice was faint. "When I was younger, I had a lot of nightmares. My mom told me that they would eventually go away, and fade with time. It wasn't until I was eight that I really understood that they weren't really nightmares, but memories from another me in the past. Hiei's life terrified me. How he was raised, what was done to him, and what he did to himself as well as others . . . I didn't want to believe I was connected to him in any way."

He paused for a moment, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "But then three years ago other memories began to surface, and it all changed. Hiei was brought down by an arrogant street punk, one of the humans he so despised, and then ended up working along side him. As time passed, Yusuke defied everything that Hiei had convinced himself that humans were, and with his influence began to change. For the first time in his life, he was willing to risk it all for someone else."

Blazing red eyes locked on me, nearly a dozen emotions dancing within the flames. It was almost as if he was pleading for me to understand as he continued. "Hiei would have never admitted it, but if the situation had been switched . . . he would have done the same. Either way we would have chased each other into the next life. If not right then, maybe some other battle in the future. Was it really so pointless?"

What could I say to that? This was too much all at once. How was I supposed to figure it all out? I thought for a few moments, asking the first thing that came to mind.

"How did you find me?"

"I tracked down Kurama, and through him I arranged a meeting with Koenma. Needless to say they were both shocked as hell to see me once they realized who I was." He smiled as he realized the double meaning of his words. "Koenma and I came to a sort agreement. He led me to you on the condition that I wouldn't force Yusuke's memory awake. I was allowed to talk to you, and even drop hints here and there, but the _instant _I attempted anything beyond that I would be sent home with my own memories suppressed. If there is one thing Hiei and I share it's our stubbornness, so I wasn't about to go and ruin my chance."

Thus revealing why he wouldn't talk when I demanded an explanation. "But what about the demons tonight? How did they know who I was?" _How did they know _you?

Kurai suddenly looked ashamed. "That's my fault in a way. Kuwabara was told of my little visit, and heard that I was looking for you. The old idiot got himself drunk, and started blabbing about how he knew Urameshi couldn't remain dead. You can imagine how that went. As for those particular demons, they were old acquaintances of my father, and once he died they seemed to consider me and my mother fair game. They were actually out to hurt me." He sighed, seeming to realize just how long he had been talking. He abandoned his perch and moved to kneel before me, looking at me eye to eye, blazing red meeting uncertain blue. "Now, knowing all this . . . what happens from here depends on you. This is your decision."

I buried my face briefly, breathing deeply, then raised my chin to meet those eyes. "I don't want to continue what happened in the past. I'm not Yusuke."

A shadow suddenly fell over his face. "I . . . I see." He rose and turned away, his movements a bit stiff. His voice sounded forced. "I promise I won't bother you anymore."

"No, wait!" I scrambled after him, catching his sleeve before he leapt from the window. Without thinking, I wrapped my free arm around his waist, gently pulling him back into the room. "That's not what I meant," I whispered, burying my face in the back of his neck. He stiffened but didn't struggle. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't what I meant."

He gave an odd, strangled noise. "What _did_ you mean then?" he choked out.

"I want to start over. I want to know you, with the understanding that past mistakes won't be held between us. I want to know _Kurai_, not Hiei's shadow, but the whole new person his soul developed into. And I want . . ." I broke off for a moment. "I never want to go through pain like that again."

"Such promises . . ." Kurai murmured. He slowly removed himself from my arms and turned to look at me face to face. "To start over, huh?"

I nodded.

He was silent for a long while before he finally said something. "Alright then," a slow smile spread across his face as he extended his hand to me, "my name is Kurai Tansaka."

I gripped his hand in a firm shake, then suddenly yanked him into a tight embrace. He returned the gesture slowly. "Thank you Kurai," I whispered to him.

After a moment I felt a hand in my hair and a light weight settle about my neck. Soft lips brushed against my cheek as Kurai drew away. I grabbed at my neck and glanced down, startled to find a black hiraseki stone dangling from a sturdy leather string. I looked up questioningly.

He gave another smile, more genuine than the others had been. "A reminder to never take things for granted." He hopped lightly back onto the windowsill, and turned to face me. "Can I meet you tomorrow after school?"

I smiled back, rubbing my cheek with the back of my hand. "Yeah, sure."

Then, just like every other encounter with Kurai, he disappeared, leaving me to think about tomorrow.

FIN

Aouthor's Note : Behold my first FINISHED chapter story! Yay for me! (throws confetti, and dances around in pajamas and riding boots) I had LOTS of fun with this story, but I am glad that it is over so I can focus on my more neglected stories. I love comments, so if you have one (good or bad) don't be afraid to click the review button. Or e-mail me. Whatever. I write for fun and post to get feedback for improvements. Until my next story, goodbye Peoples. Sharys


End file.
